News Summary
- Seven drivers were eliminated in a major accident at Turn 3
- Championship leader Nikola Tsolov said he had nowhere to go after cars collided ahead
- The crash triggered a red flag during the first of Baku’s two F2 feature races
Formula 2 Feature Race 1 in Baku was red-flagged following a major multi-car accident at Turn 3 on lap 12, eliminating Nikola Tsolov, Joshua Dürksen, Laurens van Hoepen, John Bennett, Rafael Villagomez, Ritomo Miyata and Cian Shields.
The accident occurred immediately after the Safety Car returned to the pits at the end of lap 11. Several cars made contact near the front of the group before the track became blocked, leaving the drivers behind with almost no opportunity to avoid the wreckage.
Championship leader Tsolov was caught in the incident after emerging from a slow pit stop in the middle of the pack. The Campos driver told his team over the radio that there was nowhere for him to go before his engine stalled.
Campos replied that the accident was not Tsolov’s fault and told the Bulgarian that the team would fight again in Saturday’s second feature race.
Race control stopped the race while marshals removed the damaged cars and cleared debris from the circuit.
Slow pit stop leaves Tsolov exposed
Tsolov had started tenth and gained one position on the opening lap by passing Van Hoepen. He ran eighth behind Dino Beganovic before making his mandatory stop on lap seven.
The stop was delayed because Tsolov had to wait for traffic moving through the pit lane. He consequently returned to the track in 13th place and directly behind the group involved in the accident.
Tsolov was also handed a five-second penalty for crossing the pit-lane white line, although the sanction became largely irrelevant once he retired from the race.
His abandonment gives Rafael Câmara an important opportunity in the championship fight. Tsolov entered Feature Race 1 with 181 points, 11 ahead of Câmara, after the Brazilian failed to score in Friday morning’s Sprint.
Câmara survived the Turn 3 accident and remained in contention for a result capable of moving him ahead of Tsolov in the standings.
Baku race interrupted before the pile-up
The race had already experienced two retirements before the red flag. Sebastián Montoya spun on his way to the starting grid and stalled, preventing the Prema driver from taking the start.
Mari Boya later stopped on the circuit on lap eight, prompting the Safety Car that preceded the multi-car accident.
Alex Dunne had controlled the opening phase from pole, leading Rodin team-mate Martinius Stenshorne and Noel León. Câmara moved ahead of Boya at the start and occupied fourth place before the pit-stop sequence began.
Feature Race 1 forms part of an expanded Formula 2 programme in Azerbaijan, with a Sprint and two full-length races being held across the weekend. Feature Race 2 is scheduled for Saturday, with Stenshorne starting from pole ahead of Dunne and Câmara.
GRANDE PRÊMIO continues its coverage of the Baku round through the Formula 2 section.
Drivers eliminated in Baku Feature Race 1 crash
| Driver | Team | Status |
|---|---|---|
| N. TSOLOV | Campos Racing | Retired |
| J. DÜRKSEN | Invicta Racing | Retired |
| L. VAN HOEPEN | Trident | Retired |
| J. BENNETT | Trident | Retired |
| R. VILLAGOMEZ | Van Amersfoort Racing | Retired |
| R. MIYATA | Hitech | Retired |
| C. SHIELDS | AIX Racing | Retired |
FAQ
Why was Baku F2 Feature Race 1 red-flagged?
A multi-car accident at Turn 3 blocked the circuit shortly after a Safety Car restart on lap 12.
Was Nikola Tsolov responsible for the crash?
There was no immediate indication that Tsolov caused the accident. He told Campos that cars collided ahead and left him with nowhere to go.
How does Tsolov’s retirement affect the F2 championship?
Tsolov entered the race 11 points ahead of Rafael Câmara. His retirement gives Câmara an opportunity to take the championship lead.
Tags: Formula 2, Nikola Tsolov, Rafael Câmara, Azerbaijan GP
